But it was inevitable. We all knew that eventually, the replacement officials would give a team a victory it didn’t earn.

They tried to give the Seahawks a win a few weeks ago, when they gave them a timeout they didn’t have. The mistake didn’t make that big of a difference since Seattle’s last-ditch pass into the end zone was incomplete.

Well, last night, they finally got it done, giving the Seahawks a touchdown on a play in which Golden Tate waylaid a defender to put himself in position to almost catch the game-winning touchdown.

What a Monday night mess.

Green Bay was robbed. The replacement officials may as well have been carrying pistols and wearing ski masks.

Yes, the real refs made bad calls too. Actually, they made very few bad calls. They may have made calls that depending on who you were rooting for looked bad to you, but they were almost always right.

As for straight missed calls, the numbers were few. It is rare for an NFL official to blow a call that isn’t a judgment call. At least they know the damn rules.

The replacement officials, bless their little hearts, are overwhelmed. They don’t know the rules and are easily intimated.

Then they simply freak out every now and then. When I go to high school games, I expect to see 6-yard offsides penalties, and a ball that goes out on the 22 being marked out at the 18.

I never thought I would see that in the NFL. Well, I have now.

This needs to stop. I don’t care what the league and officials are fighting over. It isn’t worth the NFL putting out a substandard product in which the officials’ mistakes garner nearly as much attention as the players’ play.

A buddy of mine, Robert Dickson, sent a text message last night, trying to find a measure of defense for the incompetent officials put in charge of refereeing the most difficult sport on the planet to officiate.

“When did the official officials ever call a perfect game?” he asked.

The real refs aren’t perfect, so Robert has a point. Barely.

I mean Ella Fitzgerald didn’t hit every note perfectly either, but I wouldn’t pay $100 bucks to see my Cousin Ella in concert.

A blown call by replacement referees at the end of the Seattle Seahawks-Green Bay Packers game Monday night gave Seattle a 14-12 win, and sent social and sports media ablaze. Here are some other bad calls from both within and beyond sports. less

A blown call by replacement referees at the end of the Seattle Seahawks-Green Bay Packers game Monday night gave Seattle a 14-12 win, and sent social and sports media ablaze. Here are some other bad calls from ... more

Photo: AP

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"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here ..." President Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 1863.

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here ..." President Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 1863.

Photo: ALL

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The Soviets were inexplicably given three shots at a last-second desperation play against the United States in the men's gold medal game of the 1972 Olympics, connecting on the third try. For 40 years the Americans have refused to accept their silver medals. less

The Soviets were inexplicably given three shots at a last-second desperation play against the United States in the men's gold medal game of the 1972 Olympics, connecting on the third try. For 40 years the ... more

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”
— Digital Equipment Corp. co-founder Ken Olson, 1977

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”
— Digital Equipment Corp. co-founder Ken Olson, 1977

Photo: ALBANY TIMES UNION

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"He will never amount to anything."
- Common assessment by Albert Einstein's boyhood teachers.

"He will never amount to anything."
- Common assessment by Albert Einstein's boyhood teachers.

Photo: AP

Image 8 of 23

Napoleon invading Russia.

Napoleon invading Russia.

Photo: AP

Image 9 of 23

Hitler invading the Soviet Union.

Hitler invading the Soviet Union.

Photo: AP

Image 10 of 23

Image 11 of 23

"The Godfather, Part III."

"The Godfather, Part III."

Image 12 of 23

Labeling the Titanic "unsinkable."

Labeling the Titanic "unsinkable."

Photo: AP

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These shorts, or ...

These shorts, or ...

Image 14 of 23

... this, um, everything.

... this, um, everything.

Image 15 of 23

Image 16 of 23

U.S. President Harry S. Truman holds up an Election Day edition of the Chicago Daily Tribune, which, based on early results, mistakenly announced 'Dewey Defeats Truman' in this Nov. 4, 1948 file photo. Erroneous headlines proclaiming Gov. George W. Bush's victory were printed by newspapers around the country Wednesday morning, Nov. 8, 2000, before the U.S. presidential election was declared undecided pending a recount of all votes in Florida. (AP Photo/Byron Rollins, File) less

U.S. President Harry S. Truman holds up an Election Day edition of the Chicago Daily Tribune, which, based on early results, mistakenly announced 'Dewey Defeats Truman' in this Nov. 4, 1948 file photo. ... more

Photo: AP

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Him.

Him.

Photo: (AP Laserphoto)

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And her.

And her.

Photo: NYT

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"It will be gone by June."
- Variety, on rock 'n roll in 1955. Bruce Springsteen was 5.

"It will be gone by June."
- Variety, on rock 'n roll in 1955. Bruce Springsteen was 5.